The Lone Hero
by TheNotoriousNovelist
Summary: AU: 5 years after the Light took control of the Justice League and conquered the world, the last of the heroes is Zatanna, now known as Magic Mistress. Having been fighting a losing battle, it's time to make sure her future never even happens. Luckily for her, before his death 2 years ago, Dick Grayson had been working on a magic-powered time-machine. Pairings: Chalant.
1. Prologue

**Season 1 pairings. Set before Auld Acquaintance.**

**I used to write nothing but YJ fanfic in my old account, TheRockingWriter, so this is my first YJ fanfic in months.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

* * *

The Lone Hero

Prologue:

She sat at the computer, staring at the Fallen Heroes Index open on the screen. Reading it would provoke her to take revenge. On this day, it caused her to break down into tears.

**Name: Richard John "Dick" Grayson.**

**Current Alias: Renegade, the Dark Prince of Gotham.**

**Past Aliases: Robin, the Boy Wonder. Dan Danger. Freddie Dinardo.**

**Age: 17.**

**Family: John Grayson (father), deceased. Mary Grayson (mother), deceased. Richard Grayson (paternal uncle), deceased. Karla Grayson (paternal aunt-by-marriage), deceased. John Grayson (paternal cousin), deceased. Bruce Wayne (adoptive father). Selina Kyle (adoptive mother), deceased.**

**Powers/abilities: Hacking, martial arts, acrobatics, multilingual.**

**Affiliation: The Team. The Rebellion. Justice League (formally). The Bat-family (formally). Haly's International Travelling Circus (formally). Wayne Industries (owner).**

**Status: Deceased.**

Why? Why did Dick have to die? It wasn't like Batman had been aiming at him... he was aiming at her.

"Why'd you have to be such a hero, Dickie-bird?" she said, tears escaping "You should be the one alive... not me,"

Renegade's death was 2 years ago but it still hurt as if it was yesterday. She put her hand around the gold locket he had given her merely days before he died. She accessed the Wanted Heroes Index and found her own profile. She stood up at the computer desk and walked out of the war-torn room, leaving her file open.

**Name: Zatanna "Zee" Zatara.**

**Current Alias: Magic Mistress, the Lone Hero.**

**Past Aliases: Zatanna, the Mistress of Magic.**

**Age: 19.**

**Family: Sindella Zatara (mother), deceased. Giovanni Zatara (father), deceased.**

**Powers/abilities: Backwards magic.**

**Affiliation: The Team. The Rebellion. Justice League (formally). **

**Status: Alive.**


	2. Chapter 1

**The year of Season 1 was 2014, so it became 2015 in the Season 1 finale. This makes the year future Zatanna comes from 2020. **

* * *

The Lone Hero

Chapter 1:

_...5+ years ago..._

The Team was assembled in the training room per Batman's orders. The entire Justice League were collected there as well.

"Batman, is something wrong?" Aqualad asked, speaking up as the Team leader.

Batman looked to the rest of the League before addressing the Team of teenaged superheroes. He waved his hand through the air and a holo-keyboard appeared. He started typing and a holo-screen appeared.

"For the past 2 months we've been scanning a... blip in the space/time continuum," said Batman, bringing up an image of a soundwave that spiked in several places "We've recently been able to put a pod through the anomaly. We got these images,"

The holo-screen showed a depressing image of a city street. It was raining and no one was in sight.

"Uh, I'm not seeing the point here, Bats," said Kid Flash, crossing his arms.

Batman zoomed in on a newspaper stand. The date on one of the papers said August 9th, 2020.

"This anomaly leads to the future," said the Dark Knight.

The Team looked awestruck at the idea of a way to the future.

"How did the blip open?" Kid Flash asked, being the science geek.

"From what we can tell, someone, approximately 3 years in the future, began doing experiments in time-travel to come to our present," said Batman "We have a theory why they never completed,"

"Because meddling with the timeline is bad news?" said Artemis, arms crossed.

"No... because they were most likely murdered," said Batman in a slightly stronger voice, typing on the holo-keyboard.

The screen showed an image of a large group of the world's worst villains on a political stage and seemed to be... ordering all the civilians. They were ruling...

"In the next few years... the villains win," said the Dark Knight in a stone voice.

The Team were shocked and looked horrified.


	3. Chapter 2

The Lone Hero

Chapter 2:

_...5+ years into the future..._

Zatanna buckled the time-belt around her waist and looked at the faded blueprints Dick had left. As she followed the directions, she thought of Renegade's last moments.

_Magic Mistress ran around the edge of the aircraft carrier. Renegade violently battled against the mind-controlled Red Arrow. The former Boy Wonder, with the intent to kill, grabbed one of Red Arrow's arrows out of the air and easily disarmed the clone. In Red Arrow's last attack, Renegade stabbed him in the back with his own arrow and kicked the archer into the water with a kick that also broke Red Arrow's neck. Magic Mistress had been watching him and Renegade climbed down from on top of the office and started walking over to her. Renegade had a blood smear across his left shoulder from where Red Arrow's blood had bled on him. Magic Mistress ran to him and she worriedly looked over his own bleeding injuries. Renegade briefly kissed her on the lips._

_"Don't worry, Zee, I'm fine," he said, taking hold of her hand "C'mon, we gotta get outta here before anyone else shows up,"_

_They ran the other direction to where the jet they had taken was. Renegade saw more members of the mind-controlled Justice League landing on the other side of the aircraft carrier. He pulled Magic Mistress forward and pushed her in front of him. Batman dropped out of no where and threw a bat-a-rang at Magic Mistress. _

_"No!" Renegade exclaimed._

_He pushed Magic Mistress and took her place. Before he could get out of the bat-a-rangs line of fire, it flew into his heart. Magic Mistress saw him drop and instantly was at his side._

_"Dick? Dickie-bird? No!" Magic Mistress exclaimed, trying to seal the gaps around the imbedded bat-a-rang "C'mon, sweetheart, please! You can't die!"_

_"Zee," Renegade said in a low horse voice "Change this... make it never happen... change the past to save the present..."_

_"What?! Richard? Please, you can't leave me! I-I'm in love with you!" Magic Mistress cried._

_"I-I-I'm i-in lo-love with you t-too," Renegade croaked._

_He pushed her hands away from the bat-a-rang and pulled it out. The previously slowly bleeding wound began bleeding quickly and, within seconds, Renegade was dead._


	4. Chapter 3

**This is set during the time between Zatanna joining the Team and going on missions.**

* * *

The Lone Hero

Chapter 3:

_...5 years ago..._

"How the heck do the bad guys win?!" Kid Flash yelled.

"We don't know," said Batman "We theorize that whoever was trying to time-travel was trying to prevent their rule and they killed them,"

"Is there any way to contact our future selves and ask how it happened so we can prevent it?" Robin asked.

The Justice League looked at each other, wondering if they should tell them. Batman knew the Team had a knack for getting around rules and getting what they wanted. He typed on the holo-keyboard and revealed 6 images of grave stones.

**Kaldur'ahm A.K.A Tidal Wave, 1998-2016.**

**M'gann M'orzz A.K.A Martian Girlhunter, ?-2016.**

**Conner Kent A.K.A Kon-El, 2014-2017.**

**Artemis Crock A.K.A the Huntress, 1999-2017.**

**Wallace Rudolph West A.K.A Kid Lightning, 1998-2018.**

The 6th grave had the secret identity of whoever was buried there blurred.

**A.K.A Renegade, 2000-2018.**

The Team figured the blurred name was Robin's true identity. They all stared at the images.

"These are a few of many graves that read the identity of many known superheroes," said Batman.

"So... in the next few years... we all die?" Miss Martian said, quietly.

"Everyone except Zatanna, apparently," said Black Canary, stepping forward "According to the graves, Robin and Kid Flash are the last to die and, since this was taken 5 years into the future, that means no one's died for 2 years,"

Zatanna thought it over. She had only left her room because she absolutely had to. It was insane to think she would be the last of them all. Before she could speak up, a bright light appeared. It was a glowing light in the shape of a person with light spinning around them like an atom. Everyone put her arms up to shield their eyes. As the light dimmed, a girl fell to the floor. She was face down so all they could see was she had black hair and a clunky belt with what looked like tape was keeping it together.

"Who. The. Heck. Is. That?" Artemis asked, all shocked at the sudden arrival.

The girl, or young woman as they could now see, sat up. She looked at them and she looked vaguely familiar. She had light blue eyes that seemed haunted, her skin was a faded pink as if she hadn't been in the Sun for years, her hair was raven-black and completely out of control and in her face. Apart from the clunky belt, she wore black jeans tucked into black knee-high combat boots, a black short-sleeved t-shirt with a yellow 'Z' going from her right shoulder to her left then down to her right hip and across to her left hip and a black hooded jacket that was fallen down her back. Around her neck was a gold oval locket with a silver heart attached to the front.

"Who are you?" Batman asked, stepping forward and taking charge.

The young woman stood up and pulled her hoodie back over her shoulders. She gulped. Her hair was above her shoulders and knotted into a permanent frizzed out style with her hair in her face in a way that hid the edge of her face.

"I'm..." she put her hand to her forehead, she seemed to be about 18 to 20-years-old "I'm Zatanna Zatara... age 19,"


	5. Chapter 4

The Lone Hero

Chapter 4:

Future Zatanna sat in an interrogation room. The Team and every Leaguer except Batman were watching her on a security camera in the training room. Batman walked into the room and gave a bat-glare, not a strong one just strong enough to make her squirm. It didn't work. Future Zatanna sat there but wasn't scared. If anything, she stared at him with blistering unbridled _hatred._

"The DNA confirms you're Zatanna," said Batman "But, how do we know you're not a CADMUS clone posing as such to infiltrate us?"

Future Zatanna snickered at him and leaned back in her chair.

"I forgot how paranoid you used to be..." her smirk grew "Rich Boy,"

For a second, everyone, who knew who Batman and Robin were, were shocked. Those who didn't were just confused. Even Batman was surprised. He gathered himself and maintained his emotionless demeanor.

"You've been let in on some rather classified League secrets," said Batman.

"Nah, after the bad guys took over heroes were 24/7 trying to overthrow them, no personal life. Robin became, well, like you and he didn't care 'bout the whole secret I.D crud," said the Future Zatanna "He stopped wearing a mask and it took 0.001 seconds for the media to figure it out,"

"Anyone can see you've had a rough 5 years," said Batman.

"YOU CAN FREAKING SAY THAT AGAIN!" Future Zatanna shouted, standing up and leaning on the table "AND IT WAS ALL THE SO CALLED '_JUSTICE_' LEAGUE'S FAULT!"

"How?" Batman asked, completely stoic despite the yelling Homo Magi.

"How?" the time-travelling magician hissed "HOW?!" she screamed "LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY!" she heaved in air and looked at him darkly "2 years ago... _YOU _were the one who _MURDERED __ROBIN! _Or, Renegade, as he was known in my time,"

Every superhero there were shellshocked and looked at Robin, who was white.

* * *

Future Zatanna refused to talk after losing her control and revealing who Robin's, or Renegade's, murderer was. Wonder Woman insisted on being the next person to attempt to talk to her. The Amazonian Princess walked in and sat across from the 19-year-old Zatanna, wearing the jacket Black Canary had given her (knowing how cold it could get wearing something sleeveless).

"Hello, Zatanna," Wonder Woman said, nicely.

"Huh, haven't seen _you_ since *Red Jet suffocated you," said the Future Zatanna.

* * *

***Red Jet is Raquel Ervin. She hasn't joined the Team yet.**


	6. Chapter 5

The Lone Hero

Chapter 5:

_...3 years into the future..._

_...Year 2017..._

A 16-year-old Zatanna was curled up in a corner, crying her eyes out. It was so horrible. Artemis, her best friend, was dead... killed by her own father. Artemis! The girl who became the Huntress in memory of her mother, who was also killed by Sportsmaster when she refused to join him and the Light. The old metal door to her quarters was forced open since it was squeezed into place and scraped against the floor. Renegade, better known to her as Dick, walked in and got down on one knee beside her.

"Hey," he said "You okay?"

"N-No," she sniffled "My best friend is gone,"

Dick sat beside her and moved her so she was leaning on him instead of the wall. She didn't move despite being so close to him. It was at this time she was reminded of her old schoolgirl crush on him. Zatanna hadn't thought in a way that even _allowed _things like relationships to enter her mind in so long. She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him, even feeling embarrassed. Despite the unpleasant feeling of embarrassment, it made her feel normal to be embarrassed about a crush. Dick hugged her back, unknown to her he was blushing too.

"C'mon," he said, gently "We better go. Artemis is being buried right now,"

Dick stood up and took her hand to lead her out. Zatanna felt herself blush as he held her hand. Since the Cave's destruction, the Team (now the leaders of the Rebellion) had occupied an abandoned building in Gotham City. Dick took her to the garden, where Wally was standing over a freshly covered grave with his hands in his jacket pockets. As Dick and Zatanna neared, they walked beside each other with their entwined hands behind their backs. Wally took his hand out of his pocket, holding a photo of him and Artemis arguing back when she first joined. He looked at Dick and Zatanna when they reached him.

"I'm going to go kill Sportsmaster," he said.

"Don't spill any innocent blood," Dick warned him.

Zatanna leaned into him as they both looked at Artemis's grave stone.

"I can see you holding hands!" Wally called to them.

Dick and Zatanna moved away from each other and looked at their locked fingers. Zatanna felt sad when he let go but felt nervous, embarrassed and overjoyed when Dick put his arms around her and held her close. Zatanna rested her head on his shoulder and the pain of Artemis's death returned. She sniffled and began crying again, leaning into Dick for emotional support. Dick held her close with one arm hugging her and the other comfortingly stroking her recently cut shoulder-length hair.

"We'll all miss her," said Dick "I don't know what I'd do if I lost _you, _Zee," he whispered, then sighed "I've been in love with you since we first met,"

Zatanna opened her eyes and hugged Dick even tighter.

"I've been in love with you too," she whispered "If it hadn't been for the Light, I would have kissed you that New-Year's,"

They leaned back in each other's arms and looked into each other's blue eyes.

"What's stopping you right now?" he asked her, smirking his oh so wonderfully friendly smirk.

"You first," she said.

The 2 of them both leaned in and they met in the middle. It wasn't invasive or rough, just the opposite, it was soft and sweet and Zatanna could feel he was blushing just as much as her. The kiss didn't lead to a more intimate one, instead Dick leaned back and cupped Zatanna's cheek in his hand. She took his hand in hers and leaned into it. They both smiled at each other and, for the first time in 3 years, they felt like totally normal teenagers in love.

* * *

_...3 years ago..._

_...Year 2014..._

"Zatanna? Zatanna!" Diana exclaimed.

The Future Zatanna looked at Wonder Woman with a blank face.

"I asked you if anything happened in 2017," the Amazonian Princess said.

"Oh... Well, Artemis died," said the time-traveller "So did Sportsmaster at the hands of Cheshire and Wally. Cheshire joined our side after that under the name Panther but she was killed a few months later by her *boyfriend,"

* * *

***A.K.A Roy Harper, clone/Red Arrow.**

**I promise action in the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 6

The Lone Hero

Chapter 6:

The Team were ordered not to talk to the Future Zatanna but the Past Zatanna was curious. She snuck to the corridor of interrogation rooms and into the room her future self was in. The Future Zatanna looked at her past self as she sat down across from her.

"I take it you're curious," said the 19-year-old.

"Yeah," said the 14-year-old "So... What side of 19 are you?"

The older magician chuckled a little.

"I turn 20 soon," said the time-traveller "To be honest, I don't care about my birthday. Not since I was 17..."

"What happened then?" the current Zatanna asked.

The older Zatanna sighed with a sad expression but then smiled at her younger self.

"The man I loved was killed protecting me," she said "I've never forgiven myself... we have the tendency to do that,"

The 14-year-old Zatanna sighed and looked at her hands.

"What... What happened to Dad?" the younger asked.

The older closed her eyes with a pained expression.

"That's not a happy memory," she said "We couldn't let Klarion get his hands on the Helmet of Fate and I was the only person who could possibly..."

"What happened?" the teenaged Zatanna asked.

"I-I was the only one who could possibly take him down," said the adult Zatanna "Klarion would be all-powerful if he got the Helmet so I had- had to kill him,"

The current Zatanna gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"That's awful," she said and her future self nodded.

* * *

_...Gotham City..._

A bright light in Gotham City Central Park died and the Injustice League and Justice League appeared. The Justice League were in war-torn clothes, as if they didn't change costumes after battle. Ultra-Humanite and Joker weren't there because they had been killed years ago.

"Look at this," said Count Vertigo "It's disgusting to think the world was in such a state once,"

"I want to turn it into my own giant garden!" Poison Ivy exclaimed.

"Later," Count Vertigo hissed at her "We have to find Magic Mistress... and dispose of her,"

"Good thing the big guys let us borrow their toys," said Wotan, gesturing to the Leaguers.

Over those 5 years, several Leaguers had been killed. The ones present were Superman, Batman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Hawkwoman and Captain Atom. The others were either dead or still in the future.

"So, how do we get the good guys to come?" Atomic Skull asked.

"Simple," Count Vertigo stated, an evil smile on his face "Justice League," the mind-controlled Leaguers looked at him "Rampage,"


	8. Chapter 7

The Lone Hero

Chapter 7:

The Team were in the rec room while the Future Zatanna was talking with the Justice League about how to alter the future. The current Zatanna got away with talking to her counterpart because it got the 19-year-old to talk. The Team had put on Frozen because M'gann was crazy for it and hopefully it would bring their spirits up after learning they were all dead in the near future. Zatanna was curled up on the sofa as she watched the movie. The Future Zatanna said they could call her Magic Mistress to avoid confusion with her 14-year-old self. Robin sat next to Zatanna and put his hand on her shoulder. Zatanna looked at him with an appreciative smile. They didn't say anything to each other, Robin just took his hand off her shoulder and he sat back, being a friend and watching Frozen with her.

* * *

Magic Mistress was watching the pod footage of her future. It depressed her to see what the world became. She automatically grasped the locket Renegade had given her for their one year anniversary. True, their relationship wasn't conventional but it worked by them occasionally doing something to show their love for each other every so often. It had broken her heart when Renegade died and she was _desperate _to get revenge on Batman for it. She had to restrain herself from killing the current Batman. Black Canary walked up behind her.

"Hey," she said "So, did you figure out how to change the future?"

"No," Magic Mistress said, squeezing her locket "I only want to change what happens from 2015 to 2020, not the next few months,"

Black Canary saw the locket around Magic Mistress's neck.

"Where'd you get that locket? It's pretty," Black Canary asked.

"Oh... my boyfriend gave it to me," Magic Mistress said, her eyes blurring over from unfallen tears "He, uh, he was killed a few days later... it broke my heart,"

"Oh," said Dinah "I'm so sorry. Hopefully when the timeline's changed he'll be alive and you'll be together,"

"I hope so too," said Magic Mistress "But, knowing him, he won't make a move for a while," she smiled, sadly, at the memory of Renegade.

The rest of the Justice League and Team came running into the training room.

"Turn it to GBS News, now!" Robin exclaimed.

Black Canary typed at the holo-keyboard and the holo-screen changed. It showed Cat Grant in front of an apocalyptic scene.

_**"No one's sure why the Justice League is attacking or why they are taking orders from the Injustice League," **_Grant reported _**"Law enforcement are unable to stop them. What puzzles all is Captain Atom is reported to be attacking but he is also said to be currently in Africa helping save people from an earthquake,"**_

**_"Cat, look out!"_ **her cameraman shouted.

They both dodged as a rampaging Superman threw a truck. Grant and her cameraman ran, leaving the camera on the ground. Captain Atom shot out energy at the camera and it was destroyed, turning the screen to snow.

"Oh, crud!" Magic Mistress exclaimed "The JLA from the future have come after me,"

"Why?" Superboy asked.

"If you ruled the world and the one person who could stop you went back in time to stop it, what would you do?" the time-travelling Zatanna said "We've got to stop them and prove it isn't the current Justice League attacking as well as stop them from killing anyone,"


	9. Chapter 8

The Lone Hero

Chapter 8:

_...Gotham City..._

The evil JLA rampaged through downtown Gotham. The good guys assembled on the top of a building.

"How the heck do we defeat ourselves? Especially when ourselves are willing to kill!" Kid Flash exclaimed.

"That's easy," said Magic Mistress, appearing out of nowhere (didn't they lock her in the Cave?) "You've gotta be just as ruthless,"

"You mean murderous," said Batman.

"What can I say? The villains _are _the government so we can't send them to prison," said Magic Mistress "Fight however you want but I'm killing my timeline's Batman,"

"Wait, why?" Robin asked.

Magic Mistress slid off the roof and, in an act of pure awesomeness, she free-ran across the buildings to where the Future Justice League was wrecking the place.

"She's crazy!" Artemis said "From what she told us about her future, she has a good reason to be,"

* * *

Magic Mistress knelt on the corner of a building's decorative edge. The still alive Injustice Leaguers were positioned in the park where they were controlling the Justice Leaguers. Magic Mistress targeted in on the Future Batman and her rage burned inside of her so much it turned to magic fire encasing her hands.

That man murdered her boyfriend, his son _and _Selina Kyle/Catwoman, who had taken Renegade in when he had no one. Batman would die!

Before she could do anything, the Future Superman came flying up in front of her. Magic Mistress stumbled back and the Future Superman's eyes glowed with heat vision. He fired it at her and Magic Mistress sprung to her feet and ran away. The 2 lazar beams destroyed the building edge as the magician ran from him. Future Superman flew after her as she rounded the corner. When Future Superman flew past the corner, a levitating Magic Mistress sprung out and pushed the Future Superman down (taking advantage of Future Superman just floating). She pushed him down into a building and caused it to crack. The Future Superman got his barings back and flew after her. Magic Mistress wasn't faster than Future Superman and he caught her ankle, throwing her into the roof of a car.

Magic Mistress landed with a crash. She lazily looked upwards and saw the Future Superman flying down to crush her. Magic Mistress snapped into action again.

"Etaerc a dleihs dnoura em!" she chanted.

As soon as Future Superman's fist came within a meter of her, it hit and made visible a purple/pinkish shield. Magic Mistress held it up as Future Superman punched her down, crushing the car beneath her.

* * *

The rest of the superheroes had engaged in battle. Captain Atom and Captain Atom were firing energy at each other and neither was winning or losing. Future Hawkwoman was against her past self and Wonder Woman. The current Green Lanterns were against the Future Hal Jordan. The Past Batman was against his future self. Knowing this Future Batman had killed Dick gave the Past Dark Knight reason enough to defeat him as well as get the Past Superman to keep Robin away.

The 2 Batmans threw bat-a-rangs at each other but they deflected each other in the middle. The Future Batman had a more rugged look to his uniform since it was never replaced after his many battles.

The Team was deployed to get civilians out of the area. Kid Flash was bitter because he wanted to fight too. He stared as Future Hawkwoman murderously hit her past self and Wonder Woman to the ground.

"C'mon, K.F," said Robin "We've gotta get outta here!"

They started running with everyone else. The Boy Wonder saw a little kid who's mother was having trouble running while trying to pick the little boy up. Robin ran over to them and picked the kid up, the little boy's mother taking grip of her son.

* * *

Magic Mistress was thrown to the ground by Future Superman. She got to her knees and elbows and looked up. She gasped, causing her to stumble back as her time's Superman landed behind her. Magic Mistress was at the feet of the Light's group of number #1 lackeys... the Injustice League.


	10. Chapter 9

The Lone Hero

Chapter 9:

"Why, hello, Magic Mistress," said Wotan "I haven't seen you since you tried to drain my power,"

Magic Mistress got up and tried to run but she began experiencing vertigo and collapsed. The Injustice League laughed at her. Poison Ivy wrapped a vine around the magician's leg and pulled her back, hanging her upside down. The villains laughed at her again. Poison Ivy wrapped the vine around her, tying her up.

"Such a pretty face," said Count Vertigo, looking at her as Magic Mistress tried to break free "Pity we have to kill you, you really have become something more than that pitiful girl who lost her father,"

Magic Mistress spat in his face.

"Go ahead and kill me!" she shouted "I don't care anymore..."

Count Vertigo wiped her spit off his cheek and slapped her but Magic Mistress barely flinched.

"What? So you can be with Renegade again? You're true love?" Count Vertigo asked.

Magic Mistress stared at him with hurt eyes. She wasn't suicidal but she didn't want to live, to be honest she was looking for a good way to die for a good reason (such as saving the world).

"You shut-up about Renegade," she hissed at him.

"Little one, you are a fool in love," Count Vertigo said "Kill her,"

The vines around Magic Mistress tightened and began squeezing the air out of her.

"Es-esa-esaele-r," she gasped, feeling her ribs crack "em!" she gasped.

The vines untangled and she fell to the ground. She got to her feet and looked at Count Vertigo with a dark expression. Magic Mistress cracked her knuckles.

"You. Shouldn't. Have mentioned. Renegade," she hissed.

In an instant, Magic Mistress was beating Count Vertigo senseless. Before the Injustice League could help their comrade, members of the past JLA attacked.

Magic Mistress magic-punched Count Vartigo's headset and he lost his abilities to inflict vertigo. She continued to pound him, breaking his nose and causing him to bleed.

The JLA took down the other Injustice Leaguers and knocked them out to be taken to Belle Reve until further notice. But Magic Mistress continued to beat Count Vertigo. Her vision was red with anger.

"Never. Ever. Talk. To me. About. Renegade. Again," she hissed.

The other superheroes crowded behind her. Magic Mistress lifted the beaten Count up by her shirt. He weakly lifted his head and looked at her in the eye.

"Your little _boyfriend," _he said, his voice loud enough for the heroes to hear "was pathetic," he spat out his own blood "I can't believe Renegade even _lived_ long enough to be 17!"

The heroes were surprised to learn that Magic Mistress's dead boyfriend and Renegade were one in the same. Both Robin and Zatanna tried to figure out a way to get out of the awkward questions Kid Flash was probably gonna ask.

Magic Mistress's anger consumed her and she even began glowing with red chaotic energy (her usually light energy was being tainted by her anger). Her hair flickered around her as if there was a strong wind and her eyes glowed red.

Zatanna stared at her future self in terror of the thought of feeling so angry her powers could become evil.

Magic Mistress punched Count Vertigo so hard, he bled through his ears, mouth, nostrils and even his eyes. The punch created a crater beneath Count Vertigo. Magic Mistress stepped away from him, her hands dripping from his blood and from where her knuckles had split. She collapsed onto her knees and put her hands on her head. She bent down and she even seemed to be crying. Batman got on one knee and put 2 fingers to Count Vertigo's neck.

"He's dead," said Batman.

They all looked at Magic Mistress as she wept.


	11. Chapter 10

The Lone Hero

Chapter 10:

_...The Cave..._

Batman came storming into the interrogation room. He was furious, even for Batman. The Dark Knight slammed the autopsy file of the time-travelling Count Vertigo on the table, the findings were what was expected. Count Vertigo was beaten to death.

"You killed on the Justice League's watch!" Batman said in a strong voice that conveyed just how angry he was "Do you realize what this could-"

"I don't freaking care!" Magic Mistress shouted back "Vertigo's been a tyrant for 5 years, ever since he successfully assassinated his niece in 2015 and became king! He deserved to die!"

"That's not your call," Batman stated.

"When will you get it? I gave up on any Justice League moral you still have 5 years ago! I've seen people, good people, be killed just for doing the right thing!" Magic Mistress shouted, standing up and slamming her fist on the table "I don't care what you say because when I look at you, all I see is the guy who murdered his own son when he was trying to kill me! I came back in time to make sure my future never exists... I only came to the League so you'd understand why the heck there were evil versions of yourselves! But, now, I'm done with you traitorous, murderous, scumbags!"

And, with that, a portal that's colour scheme was changing from red to purple appeared behind her and swallowed her.

Batman huffed and sat down. How did they think they would control someone who hated their guts again? His communicator beeped and he answered.

"What?" the Dark Knight asked.

**"Uh, Bats? You need to get over here,"** said Green Arrow.

"Why?" Batman asked.

**"Well..."**

* * *

_...A few minutes ago..._

Aqualad and Kid Flash played holo-air hockey for the first time since Robin added the program. Zatanna was sitting in the corner of the training room. She was scared of Magic Mistress and that was a fact. She was also seeing Robin in a new light. Zatanna already thought he was cute and fun to be with and when he was embarrassed he was so adorable... dang, she was into him. But, it scared her because of what Magic Mistress did at the mere mention of his death... then again, Count Vertigo had been taunting her.

_"Someone's having the first ever 'my future self murdered someone for talking about a boyfriend I've only just realized I like' teen crisis," _Miss Martian telepathically said to her.

_"M'gann? What are you- don't go in my mind!" _Zatanna exclaimed.

_"Zatanna, I didn't have to read your mind to tell you care about Robin," _said Miss Martian _"I'm also an empath so I can tell what people are feeling without entering their mind,"_

_"M'gann... please don't tell anyone I like Robin. I don't want everyone knowing before I even make a move... If I make a move. I dunno! Ugh!" _Zatanna exasperated.

_"Ah, human love, it's so wonderful to see it unfold,"_ Miss Martian sighed, happily.

Zatanna blushed as she looked over at Robin, who was entertaining himself with his cell phone. She found it cute...

The time-belt Magic Mistress had used to come back in time began glowing red where it was discarded on the bench. It was on the opposite end of the bench from Zatanna.

"Uh, what's up with Magic Mistress's belt?" Kid Flash asked.

The entire Team walked over to it.

"Kids, I don't think you should-" Green Arrow started.

Zatanna shuffled along the bench to the belt and felt her own inner magic rise. She felt compelled and merely put her hand over it. Her hand began glowing red too and she felt the chaotic energy. Zatanna shrieked at it and the Leaguers with them ran over to them.

Before the adults could get to them, there was a flash of red light. Aqualad, Miss Martian and Superboy were thrown back. When the light dimmed away, Artemis, Kid Flash, Robin and Zatanna were gone.

Those left got back to their feet and Green Arrow put his fingers to his communicator.

**"What?"**

"Uh, Bats? You need to get over here," Green Arrow said.

**"Why?" **Batman asked.

"Well..."

* * *

_...2 years later..._

4 out of the 7 Team members landed with a thud in an alleyway. When they all stood, Robin recognized the skyline of the buildings. They were in Gotham and the sky was painted red.

"What just happened?" Artemis asked, recognizing the skyline too.

Robin gave Zatanna a hand up and they saw she was holding the time-belt. The magician stumbled and Robin put his arm around her to support her.

"Is Zee okay?" Kid Flash asked, him and Artemis walking to them.

"She's exhausted," said the Boy Wonder "We need to find a place for her to rest,"

There was a rattle and clank of moving mettle and a silhouette appeared on the edge of the roof of the alley. The 4 of them looked up at the figure.

"What the heck are you doing here?" the figure said.

"Who are you?" Robin asked.

The figure pulled off a free-running move and landed by the entrance of the alley. Robin recognized the way the figure moved and his voice may have been more serious but recognizable.

"I'm Renegade,"

* * *

**Things just got complicated ;)**

**Have you ever had a 'my future self murdered someone for talking about a boyfriend I've only just realized I like' teen crisis? I doubt it... :)**


	12. Chapter 11

** This story is before Robin turned 14, so he's still 13. And before Wally turns 16, so he's still 15. **

* * *

The Lone Hero

Chapter 11:

_...Year 2016..._

The 15-year-old Dick Grayson led the past heroes into an abandoned building. It looked ready to fall apart. Robin carried Zatanna on his back into the building. The front room they entered was like an old apartment building's ground floor.

"Follow me," said Renegade.

He went up the stairs and the 4 time-travellers followed, Robin crouching more as Zatanna got heavier on his back. He managed to carry her up to the top floor. Renegade shoved his shoulder against the door and pushed it open. The room they entered was like a post-Apocalyptic war room. There was scattered papers on the floor, computer screens on the walls with huge computer machines behind them. There was even hanging electrical wires. They walked down a short hallway that opened into a larger room that seemed to take up the entire top floor. There were glassless windows around the room and 1 particularly large computer screen. At the large computer sat a 17-year-old Wally.

"K.L?" Renegade said "Found the temporal blip,"

The older Wally turned around and fell from his chair at the shock. He super-sped over to them.

"I hate time-travel," he said "Hey, I'm Kid Lightning,"

Renegade and Kid Lightning didn't look like superheroes. Renegade wore a dark red t-shirt, black leather jacket, computer gloves, black jeans, black Nike sneakers and a black band tied around his head. Kid Lightning had on a long-sleeved yellow-and-black checkered unbuttoned shirt, black t-shirt underneath, black jeans and some running shoes with his red goggles hanging around his neck.

"You're me?" Kid Flash asked.

"Yeah," said Kid Lightning "I'll get the girls and we'll find out what the heck's going on," and he disappeared.

In an instant, he returned. A 16-year-old Zatanna and a 17-year-old Artemis walked in. The younger Magic Mistress wore the same thing as her older counterpart except her hair wasn't shoulder-length and knotted, it was long and smooth and she didn't have the locket the 19-year-old one had. The other Artemis had a black version of the original uniform, minus the mask and she had the face-paint her mother had as the Huntress and a black overcoat that was tighter around her waist.

"Hey, I'm Huntress," said the older Artemis "This is Magic Mistress,"


	13. Chapter 12

The Lone Hero

Chapter 12:

_...Year 2014..._

"Where are they?!" Batman demanded (by which he meant "Where's Robin?!").

The other Leaguers flinched. Black Canary helped Superboy up, considering Superman had disappeared as soon as anything fatherly was required. Martian Manhunter helped Miss Martian up and Aquaman helped Aqualad.

"We don't know. The time-belt started glowing and bang, Robin, Kid Flash, Artemis and Zatanna were gone," said Green Arrow.

"Wait... Oh, great," Batman hissed "Magic Mistress teleported out of the Cave at the same time the time-belt activated,"

"So, her powers might still be conected to the time-belt?" Green Arrow said.

"Yes, where's the time-belt now?" the Dark Knight asked.

"Well..."

* * *

_...Year 2016..._

Renegade looked through a magnifying glass at the time-belt. He tinkered with it with screwdrivers.

"I think I can fix this thing," Renegade said "But, I only just had the idea to time-travel last week let alone make a prototype,"

"Yeah, the only time-travel experience we've had is when a 19-year-old Magic Mistress came back in time and failed to stop the villains from winning," said Kid Lightning, leaning against the wall with folded arms.

"Wait, what?" Robin asked "Magic Mistress just arrived in our time,"

"So, this is the future she's made by coming to our time?" Artemis asked.

"Which means she hasn't saved the timeline yet," said Kid Flash.

"Now I have a headache," said Robin.

* * *

Zatanna's eyes flickered and she opened them. She sat up in a bed and looked around. The room looked more like a storage room with a metal shelf, a raggedy sofa on the opposite side from the bed and a bedside table.

"Hey, it's good to see you awake," said someone.

Zatanna looked at the foot of the bed and saw herself. This Zatanna was somewhere between she and the 19-year-old one out there.

"Uh, how old are you?" Zatanna asked.

"16," answered the other Zatanna "Renegade's 15, Huntress is 17 and so is Kid Lightning. From what we can tell, you're exactly 2 years in the future,"

"How much of our timelines are the same?" Zatanna asked.

"From what I get, everything up until the moment you came here is the same," said the other Zatanna "And, you can call me Zanna so you don't get confused with you and our 19-year-old self. Zanna is a nickname Huntress came up with,"

"'Kay, Zanna," said Zatanna, they smiled at each other "So... if we share the last 14 years of my life, including Magic Mistress turning up, then you know Magic Mistress was heartbroken over Renegade dying because they were dating..."

Zanna sadly smiled.

"Well... this timeline isn't the exact same," she said "We managed to save each other from the way we originally died but, in the end, everyone who originally died merely died a different way and different day,"

"So?" Zatanna asked.

"We've been trying to keep the timeline straight," Zanna said "Me and Renegade aren't gonna get together until we're both 16... it's sad to know he'll die at some point when he's 17,"

Zatanna rubbed her arms.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

"You were exhausted after you time-travelled here so we put you here to rest," said Zanna and she stood up "C'mon, let's join the others,"

Zatanna got to her feet and wobbled a little. She followed Zanna out of the storage room turned bedroom.

* * *

**'Zanna' is a nickname from the comics. I don't read mainstream DC but I do research on characters. **

**Please review!**


	14. Chapter 13

The Lone Hero

Chapter 13:

Zanna and Zatanna walked into the main room. Zanna walked to Renegade and Zatanna joined her friends.

"So, what's the progress on the time-belt?" Robin asked.

Renegade was sat at his desk, Zanna sitting on the corner of the desk. He turned around and looked at the time-belt's circuitry.

"It's gonna need a magical power source, probably why it reacted to Zatanna's magic," said Renegade "We're gonna have to scavenge some parts to replace some of the circuit boards," he typed at a mini typewriter and pulled the list off.

"Where can we get this stuff?" Kid Lightning asked, taking the list and looking it over.

"We can get a large amount of it from the old S.T.A.R Lab on the other side of Gotham," said Renegade "I'll stay here and work on the belt. Zatanna, you should stay here because you're the power source so we can't have you getting killed,"

"I'll stay with Zatanna," said Artemis.

"I'll stay here and work the computer, just in case we raise any alarms," said Kid Lightning, passing the list to his younger counterpart and sitting in front of the main computer.

* * *

Zanna and Huntress led Robin and Kid Flash through the back alleys of Gotham City. It was depressing... even for Gotham! People walked along the streets in straight lines like cogs in a clock. People were miserable and scared. Robin was hurt at the sight. This was his city, his home, sure Gotham was still a depressing place but the good people were more optimistic since a _smiling _hero such as himself had come.

Zanna moved a plank of metal and revealed a crawl space. She got on their knees and crawled through.

"Try not to bump the walls or the tunnel might collapse on us," warned Zanna.

"It's pitch black," Kid Flash complained.

"Give me a moment," said Zanna "Evig su thgil,"

Small balls of yellow light began floating around them. They came to the end of the tunnel and Zanna pushed the metal plank down. They crawled out and into a wrecked room. The electrical was pulled out of the wall, the plumbing was leaking a pool of water across the floor and the computer screen on the desk was flickering.

"This room is a death trap," said Robin, seeing the electrical wiring hanging just over the water.

"C'mon, let's get outta this room before we get electrocuted," said Zanna "The computer lab is this way,"

They walked through the room, splashing, and out into the hallway. The hall also had exposed electrical and the ceiling seemed to be falling down in chunks. The leaking water dried up in the hallway and the lights were flickering.

"Yikes, what happened to this place?" Kid Flash asked.

"When the villains took over, Luthor raided every tech lab and added it to LexCorp," said Huntress "The only place that survived was Wayne Tech because Batman owned it and they didn't think it necessary,"

"Wait, you know?" Robin asked.

"Yep," said Zanna "This part of the world is under Luthor's control so he's trying to keep it civil. The villains revealed the identities of the Justice League, this proved Bruce was unable to lead Wayne Tech which gave Renegade the legal right to take ownership,"

"It didn't work out and, in the end, we revealed our own identities," said Huntress.

They came to a door and Huntress and Zanna rammed it. The door fell and opened up to the computer lab. They walked in and looked at the list. Zanna told them something to find and they split up. Since mentioning his death to her younger counterpart, Zanna had been thinking about her relationship with Renegade. Over time, her schoolgirl crush on him had become more. On occasion, they hinted they loved each other and those moments got her through the time 'til they started dating. But, now, she couldn't stop thinking of his death. It was a total Men in Black 3 thing, where there was death there would always be death.

Zanna opened a storage closet and found a box labelled '1-1000 DX', a kind of computer chip. She opened the box and found one last chip still inside. She pocketed it and got up.


	15. Chapter 14

The Lone Hero

Chapter 14:

Zatanna sat on the roof, showing her magic by making her hand glow. It glowed red for chaos and that scared her. She dimmed the glow and crossed her arms, hiding her hands under her arms. It was obvious her powers had been tainted by Magic Mistress's anger. She looked out at the miserable city. It was horrible to think this was her future... the future of the world.

There was a clank as Artemis climbed onto the roof.

"C'mon, the others are back," she said.

* * *

Everyone was crowded around Renegade as he replaced the pieces. He groaned in irritation and everyone left except Zanna. She stuck around by him.

"Hey," Renegade said to acknowledge her presence.

"Hey," Zanna said in a soft voice.

"You need something, Zanny?" he asked.

"Well..." Zanna sighed then sniffed, her vision blurring over.

Renegade spun his chair to her, she sat on the edge of the desk beside him. Zanna wiped her eyes as she looked down with tears in her eyes. Renegade stood up and hugged her, she buried her head in his shoulder as she sobbed.

"What's wrong, Zee?" he asked.

"It's just I-" Zanna sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck "Dick... you know I care about you, right? _Really _care about you?"

Renegade held her in his arms and she put her hands on his shoulders, turning her head up to him.

"I care about you too," he said "I'd die for you,"

"That's the problem... I know you die in 2 years," cried Zanna "I know it's selfish to think it but... What happens to me after you die? I go back in time and make even more of a paradox than we're already in?"

Renegade held her tighter as she sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Zanna pushed away and wiped her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to get in such a state," the magician mumbled.

Renegade turned her head up to look at him.

"It's okay, Zatanna, you had every right to worry what will happen to you," he said, smiling at her.

Zanna threw her arms around him and they hugged.

"I can't wait for us to be together," she said.

"Me either," he said.

Renegade let go and sat back down to get working on the time-belt again. Zanna smiled with tears of joy in her eyes and leaned down, kissing his cheek. Renegade looked up from the time-belt and smiled at her in a way that caused you to forget he broke the Joker's neck. The future couple smiled at each other then and they both had to refrain from kissing each other.

"I'll let you get back to work," said Zanna, looking at him with dreamy eyes.

Renegade looked at her with his sapphire eyes that made her heart melt and smiled at her.

"'Kay," he said, turning back to his desk.

Zanna got to her feet and walked out of the room, her fears of his death settled... for now.


	16. Chapter 15

The Lone Hero

Chapter 15:

_...Year 2014..._

"LET ME GO YOU KRYPTONIAN-"

"That's enough out of you," Superman said, putting his hand over her mouth.

They had found Magic Mistress in an abandoned apartment building in Metropolis so the Man of Steel was sent to pick her up. He tugged her along by her arm into the training room. There was something different about her. Magic Mistress seemed paler, her eyes turning from blue to purple to red and her hair seemed longer and more curly rather than knotted. Superman let go of her and she stumbled forward, landing on her hands and knees. Magic Mistress looked up at the Justice League.

"What do you psychos want?" she hissed at them.

"The time-belt," Batman hissed.

"Yeah, what about it?" Magic Mistress asked, getting up and brushing herself off before putting her hands on her hips.

"When you teleported out, it activated the time-belt and sent Robin, Zatanna, Artemis and Kid Flash to the future," Batman stated.

"Ugh!" Magic Mistress groaned, looking upwards "That's the last thing I needed to happen,"

"Then help us get them-" before Green Arrow could finish, Doctor Fate interrupted.

"Magic Mistress, what's happened to you?" the Lord of Order asked "When you arrived, you're powers were good but now they've become chaotic,"

"My powers are none of ya business!" Magic Mistress shouted at him, her eyes turning from purple to red.

"We just want our friends back," Aqualad said, stepping forward.

"You're destabilizing mental state is your own business," Superboy remarked.

"Conner!" Miss Martian scolded.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Magic Mistress said "The only way I know to time-travel is by using a time-belt. Without that, it's pointless! I can't help!" she turned around as if she was going to leave "Hope you said goodbye,"

Superman got in the way of her exit and blocked her. Magic Mistress stopped and glared at him.

"Don't mess with me, Clark, unless you want to find out the assassination plan Renegade came up with for you!" she threatened.

"Calm down, Magic Mistress," said Superman, his arms crossed "If you haven't noticed, we've been _trying_ to help you! You want to change the timeline so the villains never win, we don't want them to win either. If you just calm down we can come up with a plan,"

Magic Mistress glared at him with hatred, remembering when he punched Kon-El in the chest so hard it turned his vital organs to mush, and she irritably blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"Fine," she agreed.

* * *

_...Year 2016..._

Renegade started putting the time-belt back together after fixing the damaged components. He snapped a plastic cap back on one of the clunky compartments. Zanna walked over to him and put a soda can next to him. She sat on the edge of the desk as Renegade took and opened the soda before taking a sip.

"So, how's it coming?" Zanna asked.

"I'm a total genius," Renegade said, leaning back in his chair with one arm behind his head.

"Because you invent time-travel at the age of 17?" his future girlfriend said, leaning back on her arms.

"No," Renegade answered "Because I fixed a time-machine I haven't built yet at the age of 15,"

"Ren? That gives me a migraine," Zanna complained, putting one hand of fingertips on her forehead.

"Doesn't matter," Renegade said, popping a piece in place over the buckle and making a rim glow blue "It works,"

They both smiled.

"You're right," Zanna said as they both looked at the active time-belt "You _are_ a total genius..." they looked at each other "I like that," they looked at each other with a look of _want _for one another in their eyes as they both leaned closer "That or you're completely insane,"

"You just quoted every Gotham villain I've ever killed who had enough time for last words," Renegade said "Including the Joker,"

_Joker pushed Renegade against a boulder as they fought in the middle of a forest. The Clown Prince of Crime hit his crowbar in his hand. Renegade kept himself on his feet, leaning one hand against the boulder and the other across his chest and on his shoulder._

_"Prepare for your last laugh, Birdie," Joker mocked, laughing._

_Renegade, his cheek cut and bleeding, held a bat-a-rang up his sleeve. Just as the Joker came at him, he threw the bat-a-rang into Joker's eye. As soon as it entered, Joker screamed, dropping his crowbar to put his hands around his eye._

_"You're insane!" Joker shouted._

_Renegade punched him to the ground and put the soul of his sneaker on the Clown Prince of Crime's neck. Joker glared at him as if he was daring him to kill him as well as a kind of... relief..._

_With that... Renegade killed the Joker._

Zanna turned his face to look at her and momentarily kissed his cheek, catching the corner of his lips too.

"You really are a genius," she said when she pulled away.

"If we're going to change the timeline, what's the point of us not being together?" Renegade asked "In that term, what's the point of anything?"

"Sweetheart, you're giving me a migraine," Zanna said, taking his hand and pulling him out of his seat "C'mon, we've got a timeline to fix,"

"Aren't we the ones who will mess it up in the future?" Renegade asked.

"Oh, Ren, that's in the past," said Zanna.

* * *

**Now Magic Mistress has gone from emotionally unstable to _mentally _unstable! **


	17. Chapter 16

The Lone Hero

Chapter 16:

_...Year 2016..._

Renegade and Zanna walked back into the main room where everyone else was, Renegade holding the time-belt. Kid Lightning was teaching Kid Flash how to work the main computer. Artemis was just sitting on the sofa, looking bored. Robin was messing with his computer gloves and Zatanna was curled up by the floor of the sofa, looking scared.

"Hey," Renegade said, everyone looked up at them and he held up the time-belt "It's done,"

Everyone got to their feet and crowded round them.

"How does it work?" Robin asked his future self.

"Well," said Renegade, giving Zatanna the belt to put on "Zatanna needs to make a magical charge to activate it then set it to 2 years ago. You guys take her hands and all 4 of you should be zapped back to the past,"

Zatanna buckled the belt around her waist and started creating a magical charge within herself.

"A'right, let's see if this works," said Zatanna.

"I rigged it to create a field just big enough to encase all 4 of you," said Renegade "But, there's still a chance it might rip apart the universe but, eh, that's the risk with time-travel,"

Zatanna was nervous about being the source of time-travel. Robin put his hand on her shoulder and they smiled at each other in reassurance. Zatanna took hold of the belt and began transferring her power to it. A yellowish/red light began to consume the 4 of them.

Renegade, Kid Lightning, Huntress and Zanna stepped back to give them space. Just as they began to fall into the time-stream, Zanna felt her own powers building up within her. Her hands began to glow with the same light as the time-stream.

"Renegade!" she exclaimed.

Zanna fell to her knees keeping her hands out as they began to glow. Renegade put his arms around her to support her and got on his knees beside her.

"Oh, crud, what's happening?" Kid Lightning asked.

The roof of the building was suddenly ripped off by tornado winds. The Justice League looked down at them as the winds blew harder.

"The energy readings are coming from here," said Batman.

"Oh, crud," Huntress said, notching an arrow and firing up at them.

* * *

_...Year 2014..._

"For the 1000th time!" Magic Mistress said "I don't know how to get back your precious Team!"

"You're one of the missing Team members!" Miss Martian uncharacteristically yelled at her.

Magic Mistress glared at her but then went stoic. She turned away and looked into space.

"What is it?" Wonder Woman asked.

"They're not lost in the time-stream," Magic Mistress said "They're actually on their way back here,"

"How can you tell?" Aqualad asked.

"I can sense my past self... selves?" she questioned "There's more than one of... us? Oh, crud, there's another Zatanna coming!"

"What?!" everyone exclaimed.

2 sources of light appeared and momentarily blinded them. When it dimmed, the missing Team members appeared with Zatanna wearing the time-belt. Zatanna collapsed into Robin's arms and the time-belt's buckle broke so it fell to the ground.

"Zatanna!" Robin exclaimed in worry.

He fell to his knees with an unconscious Zatanna in his lap.

"What's wrong with her?" Kid Flash asked.

"The same thing that's wrong with this one over here,"

Everyone turned around and... oh, great, more of them. Renegade held an unconscious Zanna in his arms.


	18. Chapter 17

The Lone Hero

Chapter 17:

Zatanna and Zanna were put in the med-lab, resting in hospital beds. Renegade was looking over the time-belt to see what went wrong with it. He occasionally said something that no one understood (you had to get time-travel to understand his murmurs).

"So, you're Robin when he's 15?" Aqualad asked.

Renegade looked up.

"Yeah, I'm Renegade," he said, taking out an army knife and using it to open one of the time-belt's compartments.

"What are you doing?" Aqualad asked.

"I'm trying to figure what the heck went wrong with this thing," Renegade asked.

"You're only 15, you can't be expected to understand time-travel," Aqualad stated.

"On the contrary, Kaldur, I understand it perfectly," said Renegade "The problem wasn't the time-belt, it was the Zatannas's powers,"

"Huh?"

"Responses like that are why_ I'm _the smartest teenager alive,"

* * *

Zanna opened her eyes and sat up in bed. She hadn't seen the Cave's med-lab since it was blown up.

"Hey," said Magic Mistress, standing in the corner "So, you're the new future? I fail to change the timeline..."

"Oh, you changed it and it was changed again when the others came to the future," said Zanna "That didn't happen in my timeline,"

"Mhh," groaned Zatanna "What's going on?" she asked, sitting up.

* * *

It was determined the Zatannas's powers were connected so they put inhibitor collars on. Magic Mistress kept pulling on it and Zanna kept itching around it.

"How the heck are we gonna straighten out the timeline?!" Kid Flash exclaimed.

Renegade was looking over all the data on the time-stream on his one working computer glove. The usually straight timeline was in knots. Zanna stood behind him as she looked at the digital representation of the time-stream. She suddenly felt her pulse raise and her vision blurred. After it, she sat beside Renegade on the bench and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Renegade asked.

"I-I just saw what happened to Kid Lightning and Huntress after we left," she said, Renegade looked at her "They're both dead... the Justice League attacked as soon as we left..."

Renegade put his arms around Zanna as she began to cry for her friends. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at them.

"K.L and Huntress are dead," Renegade informed them before going back to comforting Zanna.

There was a beep from Renegade's computer glove and he let go of Zanna to check what it was. When he did, his face went pale... paler than usual.

"What is it?" Zanna asked, dabbing at her eyes.

"Let's put it this way," Renegade said "Magic Mistress's timeline is going to cease to exist,"

"Good, so what's the bad news?" the oldest Zatanna asked.

"So is the rest of reality,"

* * *

**And the climax begins! Is anyone else confused about the colliding timelines? It's okay to admit... I planned for you to be :)**

**It is my goal to get you all as confused as possible! Hahahaha!**


	19. Chapter 18

The Lone Hero

Chapter 18:

Large orange spheres were exploding across the universe. They were in the sky, the ground, absolutely everywhere. Miss Martian flew the bio-ship across Gotham City, dodging the deteriorating timeline. They came flying down and landed in Gotham Central Park. They ran out and Renegade looked at the new data.

"What's happening?!" Zanna exclaimed above the hurricane winds.

"Didn't I already say the timeline is ceasing to exist?" Renegade said.

That's when Cat Grant with her cameraman came running to them.

"What's going on?!" Grant shouted over the wind.

"We accidentally destroyed the timeline," Renegade said with a passing glance.

"What?!" Grant shouted.

Magic Mistress looked to the sky. She could see the night sky despite it being day. The world was ending around her and it was her fault. She tugged at her inhibitor collar.

_"Oh, Renegade, I'm so sorry," _ she thought, looking over at the 15-year-old version of her true love _"I only wanted to save you and everyone else..."_

"This is all my fault," Magic Mistress said.

Renegade looked over the data again and again. There was something missing, something that would save everything. He took the time-belt from Zatanna and looked at it. He looked at its energy readings. Then it hit him...

The time-belt was powered by magic, not just magic but _backwards _magic. Renegade took a reading of Zatanna and saw the massive energy build-up within her. He took out his army knife and opened up the time-belt's main power generator. It was empty except for some residual magic from Zatanna.

"I've figured it out!" Renegade exclaimed "I know how to stop this!"

"How?" Batman asked.

"If Magic Mistress goes into one of the ceasing parts of reality with the time-belt, it'll stop her from ceasing to exist," Renegade began to explain "Now everything turns to theory, I theorize if she casts a spell to prevent the villains from winning New-Year's and to restore reality, it'll change everything!"

"Are you sure that'll work?" Robin asked him.

"Not in the slightest," said the former Boy Wonder "It's all theory! But, eh, the timeline is already being destroyed so we have nothing to lose,"

"You're insane!" Kid Flash exclaimed.

"You just quoted every Gotham villain I've killed who had time for last words," Renegade said.

Magic Mistress took the belt and buckled it around her, snapping the broken buckle back into place. Batman took her inhibitor collar off. She turned on the time-belt and she began glowing, more energy spinning around her like an atom.

Another orange sphere grew only yards away, everything that was there no longer existed. Magic Mistress ran forward and jumped in without a moment's thought, hoping it would work.

Everyone looked around but nothing changed.

"Oh, crud," Renegade said "It didn't work,"

Everyone lost hope they could fix this. Zanna hugged Renegade with tears in her eyes. Wally pulled Artemis into his arms and they silently admitted their feelings for each other.

Zatanna fell to her knees and covered her mouth as she cried. Robin got on his knees and hugged her to give her support.

"I'm in love with you," Zatanna whispered to him.

"I love you too," Robin whispered back.

The spheres of non-existence suddenly brightened and exploded into light, all of existence consumed.

* * *

Magic Mistress floated in the non-existence. She was surrounded by whiteness and couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

"Eht snialliv reven now," she said "Eht snialliv reven now! Erotser eht enilemit!"

The whiteness around her brightened into blinding light and expanded around her.

* * *

**The next chapter is the epilogue! **

**I threw in some Spitfire for all you hardcore Spitfire shippers out there ;)**


	20. Epilogue

**Last chapter!**

* * *

The Lone Hero

Epilogue:

_...Year 2020..._

_"Zatanna?!"_

Zatanna heard a voice call her name. It sounded kind of like the 17-year-old Renegade's except... older? She groaned as she tried to move.

_"She's coming to,"_

Was that Martian Girlhunter's voice? She was dead... wait, what? Zatanna felt a huge headache and things went blank.

Zatanna opened her eyes and looked around her. Nightwing looked down at her.

"Hey, Zee, are you okay?" he asked.

Nightwing helped her to sit up. Zatanna looked around her and saw her friends around her wearing their civvies. Weren't they all... oh, never mind.

"I'm... fine... What happened?" she asked.

She looked around and saw she was in the Watchtower. Nightwing put one arm around her shoulders to keep her up, Zatanna took hold of his other hand.

"We were all meeting here to go to the movies when I got an energy alert from the computer," Nightwing started to explain "When we got here, we found you passed out on the floor,"

"What happened, Zee?" Artemis asked.

"I-I don't know... I was just waiting here and, the next thing I knew, I was waking up," Zatanna said as Nightwing helped her stand "I don't remember passing out or anything,"

"Well, we better take you to the med-lab, just in case," said Nightwing "C'mon, we'll meet you guys at the movies,"

"A'right," said Wally, taking Artemis's hand "See you later,"

And the others zeta'd out.

* * *

Zatanna sat on the edge of a bed as Dick looked into her eyes. Her pupils reacted to the light the normal way.

"You seem to be okay," said Dick, putting his hands on her shoulders "You feel okay?"

"Yeah, a bit queasy but fine," she replied "You think we can still catch the movie?"

Dick looked at his watch.

"I think so," he said "You ready?"

Zatanna nodded and took her clutch bag. Then she sighed.

"Dick? Come here," she said.

When he got closer to her, she kissed him. She hugged him after she pulled away.

"What was that for?" Dick asked, hugging her back.

"I just- I just have a weird feeling like I hadn't seen you for ages..." Zatanna said, resting her head on his shoulder "I love you, Dick, I'm just scared of losing you,"

"Hey," Dick said, gently, putting his arms around her "It's okay, you'll never lose me. I'll always be here for you. I love you,"

They smiled at each other and Dick gave her a hand up and they left.

And so, life returned to normal...

* * *

**The end! I'll write a sequel soon!**

**There are a few AU things:**

**Wally's alive.**

**Dick and Zatanna got together when they were 16 and they never broke-up.**

**Laters :)**

* * *

**What should I call the sequel? Go to the pole on my profile and vote!**


	21. Sequel

**The sequel is published! Go read, review, favourite and follow it!**

**It's called:**

**The Lone Hero: Dreams of the Magician.**


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